Lamborghini Diablo (95-02) - Review

Review by Simon Harris on
Last Updated: 25 February 2009
The Diablo is a car you'll either worship as the pinnacle of Lamborghini's couldn't-care-less supercar ethos or regard as a dinosaur. Whichever camp you fall into, the Diablo cannot be ignored, from its sheer size to the trademark scissor doors. It was also one of the longest running supercars, arriving in 1990 and finally bowing out in 2001. There are various incarnations of the car, including two and four-wheel drive, coupe and roadster, plus a lightweight special and racer, but all use the same V12 engine. This engine features in the Murcielago and grew from 5.7-litres and 492bhp in the original Diablo to 6.0-litres and 569bhp in the limited edition GTR version.
1.5 out of 5

Safety

It wasn't until the Diablo was comprehensively upgraded in 1998 that anti-lock brakes appeared as standard kit on this supercar. You can spot these cars by their fixed headlights and they also come with traction control fitted. The traction control is quite primitive by modern standards and only prevents wheel-spin rather than aiding the car through corners in the way ESP stability control does. Pre-1998 cars have little in the way of safety gear and do not have the driver’s airbag supplied in later models.

NCAP Test

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2 out of 5

Reliability

The Diablo is neatly polarised here by pre and post 1998 cars. Before 1998, the Diablo was flung together with little thought given to fit or finish, while after then the car improved dramatically. Audi's influence tells in the way post-98 cars were rid of creaks and rattles. Mechanically, the V12 is strong, but this relies on careful, detailed servicing and it's the same story for the gearbox, suspension and brakes.

Car check problem points

Body

Look for evidence of parking damage, particularly at the rear.

Engine/Gearbox

Buying a car with a full service history is highly recommended.

Other

No problems reported, but check the clutch doesn't drag.